Indonesian authorities have warned they will take legal action against anyone starting open fires as widespread blazes on Borneo and other areas generate a choking haze that has spread to neighboring Malaysia. The fires, exacerbated by an intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season, have blanketed parts of Kalimantan, Indonesia's portion of Borneo, with thick smoke. Visibility in some areas has been reduced to as little as 1 to 10 meters (yards), leading to traffic accidents and flight delays.
Television footage depicted roads, buildings, and public facilities obscured by smoke, with motorists using headlights in daylight hours. Residents and schoolchildren have been seen wearing masks outdoors due to breathing difficulties.
Malaysia's eastern state of Sarawak has been significantly affected, with one district recording "very unhealthy" air quality and eight others reporting unhealthy levels. This prompted the closure of nearly 600 schools, impacting approximately 200,000 students. In response to the ongoing crisis, Central Kalimantan Police have detained 12 suspects in connection with alleged arson and illegal land clearing within the past week.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni visited fire-affected areas near Palangka Raya and pledged "strict legal action" against offenders, regardless of their status. "Whoever they are, big or small, without exception, anyone who destroys nature and forests will face strict legal action," Antoni stated.
Nationwide, Indonesia's Forestry Ministry detected 11,908 hot spots in the 24 hours preceding the report, a significant increase from 6,352 the previous day. The forest-monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas reported that approximately 182,000 hectares (450,000 acres) burned in July alone, nearly doubling the area scorched in the first half of the year. The total area burned this year has reached about 285,000 hectares (704,000 acres).
Indonesia frequently experiences transboundary haze during severe fire seasons, especially when peatlands in Sumatra and Kalimantan ignite. Authorities indicate that fires are often started illegally for land clearing for plantations or agriculture, periodically engulfing parts of Southeast Asia in hazardous smoke.